LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1044, 19 June 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ou Monday evening next, a public meeting of the Cook County ratepayers will be held in the Makaraka Hall, " to discuss the advisability of petitioning the Cook Couuty Council to lower the 5 per cent rate which has been struck." The matter stands in this wise : The ratepayers do not say that 5 per cent is more than it should be to make and keep in repair the roads of the districts j but that it is more in these very depressed tunes than they can afford to pay. Who is it among us that do not know the struggles the country settlers have made to keep their heads above water ? Many of the farmers are deeply indebted to their storekeeper for supplies. They have but little to sell, and only a very poor and unprofitable market for that same title. Well, then the County Councillors, it is taken as granted, represent the wishes and interests of the ratepayers. If these latter Bay we must be content to let some of the road improvements stand over until we are better able to pay for them, we presume the Council will comply with such a wish if it is found such a wish is generally expressed. Of course it is very desirable that we should have well-formed, well-metalled roads — as much and as many of them as canjbehad. So, also, it is desirable that we should have the means to pay our debts and provide ourselves with the necessaries and some of the comforts of life. Many things are desirable which are not easily obtainable, unless we make teo great sacrifices. The settlers say— or the Farger proportion of them say — they cannot afford to pay a 5 per cent rate, and this being found to be the case, we imagine the Conncil is bound to entertain the prayer of the petition. Some time back we noticed a pumpkin which was on view at the Masonic Hotel. In giving a narration of this our reporter tells us he used up the whole of his descriptive powers, by no means insignificant, and then felt that he had not done justice to that pumpkin. It had been removed from the garden in which it grew because it had considerably injured a three-rail and paling fence. It had, also, by the enormity of its bulk, blocked out a view of the surrounding country ; and from day to day it continued to swell and increase in bulk that it led to feelings of anxiety on the part of the grower as to what consequences it might lead up to. Eventually, as it is known, the "something gigantica," — we forget "what the " something " was, had to be removed, and it was on view for some days at Mr. Page's hostelry. But this pumpkin in comparison to the one now open to inspection at the Central Butchery establishment was a mere pigmy — the veriest flea-bite, if we may be permitted to use such an expression in connection with pumpkins. In comparing the bulk of the earth in contrast with the bulk of the planet Jupiter, astronomers employ a dot no bigger than a pin's head to indicate the'former, while they make a circle as large as a great big sunflour to indicate Jupiter. Readers will clearly understand by this comparison what we desire to illustrate : — The pnmpkins, grown by Mr. J. B. Poynter, at his station is the Jupiter of pumpkin, a very giant in dimensions to the baby pumpkin that was thought so much of at the time. The English mail, and for Australian Colonies, will close to-morrow (Sunday) afternoon at 5 o'clock, but the steamer coming southwards is not expected to arrive Defore Monday morning early. Messrs, Pitt and Bennett will sell by auction on Monday next, at Mr. Cameron s paddock, Taonga, a small flock of crossbred ewes and hoggets.

It is currently reported that Mr. E. ff. Ward, junr., has joined with Mr. Coleman in an agreement to amicably settle the disputes in connection with the affairs of the late Captain Read's estate This afternoon, Mr. f. W. Matthews, Manager of the Gisborne Branch of the Ba-ik of New Zealand, and Miss Price, daughter of Mr. M. Price, our most respected Resident Magistrate, were united in marriage at Holy Trinity Church. The service was read by the Rev. E. Williams, assisted by the Venerable Archdeacon Williams. The Church was crowded witty interested spectators. The bridal party in several carriages, under the conduct of Mr. Samuel Mason Wilson, of the Club Hotel, then drove to Mr. SteggalTs at Te Arai. The Opposition do not intend to oust the present Ministry during the session. Sir George Grey assuming the leadership has caused much disgust among the members. Mr. F. Moss, and one or two others only sticking to him and supporting him in his absurdities and insane follies. The charge against Mr. Robert Cooper, for a breach of the Arms Act, if not pre-, viously withdrawn will be brought before the R.M.s Court on Wednesday next. We have not heard whether any additional evidence will be adduced beyond that called in the case of Mr. A. Parnell. We are inclined to believe that no more witnesses will be called. Referring to the gold medal and free railway pass to Mr. Sefton Moorhouse "To him and his heirs for ever," The correspondent of the Auckland Star says : — " It is quite possible Mr. Moorhouse may be flattered at this magnanimous proposaj to constitute an everlasting family of dead heads, but men of independent minds would not regard it as a compliment." Mrs. A. M. Browne announces through our columns, that she has just received, direct from San Francisco, a small consignment of very rare and exceedingly choice seeds of vegetables and flowers, which, the former for size and flavor, and the latter for beauty of coloring and perfume, can not be excelled in any other part of the world. The latitude and soil of San Francisco are the same as in Poverty Bay. What flowers flourish in one place flourishes equally in another. These seeds have been selected purposely to exhibit their excellence. The flowering seeds especially as " climbers " cannot be excelled for richness of tint and beauty of tendril and leaf. The shipment is a small one, but the selection contains every variety of garden and flowering seeds, of which there have been no such specimens heretofore imported into the North Island.